BACKGROUND: A tractor-trailer unit loaded with logs was headed northbound and approaching a highway junction when the driver noticed a Jeep traveling westbound toward the same intersection. It was late afternoon on a cold, sunny winter day in the Rocky Mountain West. The road was icy.
PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS: The log truck driver was an experienced driver with a good driving record.
UNSAFE ACT OR CONDITION: The operator of the log truck had the right of way but realized the approaching Jeep was not going to stop at the intersection. The road was icy and had not been sanded. In an effort to avoid colliding with the Jeep, the log truck driver began aggressive braking and pulled into the on-coming southbound lane, which was free of traffic.
ACCIDENT: The log truck hit the Jeep, knocking it in front of the tractor. The truck then hit the Jeep again. The second collision spun the Jeep around and wedged it between the tractor’s rear wheels and the trailer’s front wheels. The truck driver ran off the west side of the north-south road, north of the intersection, with the Jeep still stuck between its wheels. The driver was able to stop the truck in the bottom of a ditch without rolling or losing his load.
INJURY: The driver of the logging truck was not injured, but the driver and passenger of the Jeep both sustained serious injuries.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CORRECTION: Upon investigation of the accident, it was concluded from the truck skid marks and tack card that the log truck driver had done his best to avoid colliding with the Jeep. Investigators also determined that the Jeep’s wheels were locked as it skidded into the intersection. The log truck driver displayed good driving skills with his ability to safely enter the ditch and avoid losing his load.
Sun was not a factor, but the unsanded, icy road was. All vehicle drivers must exercise extreme caution when driving in hazardous snow, ice, and rain conditions. All drivers should operate their vehicles at speeds safe for conditions, while closely monitoring the traffic around them.
Courtesy of the Forest Resources Association: https://www.forestresources.org/